First of all, this was an enjoyable read!  And, spot on.   Prosci's ADKAR model is good for forcing you to look beyond "head nods" to understand the level of commitment a change effort really has in place. Of course, the stickler is that it means leaders will have to deal with those gooey and icky emotions that the real people have, and we prefer to ignore because we cannot dictate what they should be. 

Good article Bob!  And I will agree that getting buy-in and momentum can be a tough job.  One needs to learn to recognize when opportunity to drive a program comes knocking.   You may not be ready but its best to take advantage when you can.  A lot like taking advantage of a nice day in Winter in order to do something outside that needed attention.   There are all kinds of opportunities that can drive your programs.  Things such as major news events, an executive’s discussion with another peer, or the latest headline in Forbes or Wall Street Journal.   Or maybe just a good old pitch on business value.   And like waiting for a nice day, sometimes the timing you wanted is not the timing you get.  So adjust and take advantage of anything that can help you drive a current or new initiative.   This is a skill that many successful CIO have learned to master.